Twirl
by BeginAgain46
Summary: She was never much of a girlygirl, so it came as a surprise to everyone – including herself – that she loved to dance. TATE


TWIRL by saulalovin 

A **NCIS** fan fiction

**Pairing:** Tony DiNozzo and Kate Todd

**Summary:** She was never much of a girly-girl, so it came as a surprise to everyone – including herself – that she loved to dance.

**Spoilers:** None. Just some good clean (well, maybe not entirely clean) fluff.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned a lot of things. But I don't. sniff

**Author's Note:** This is my first fic outside of 'American Idol', and the first fic I've ever posted here on Please read and review. Oh, and some information were taken from the NCIS CSB website.

She had always loved dancing.

When she danced, she felt free. As she twirled and spun around, she felt invincible – like no one could stop her.

She had done a little ballet as a little girl, but ballroom dancing was her forte. It came in handy, too, in her career as a Secret Service agent.

She had yet to find out if it would do the same now that she was a NCIS Special Agent.

The glass chandelier above twinkled as it bathed in the golden lights of the great hall. She stood in a corner, swaying slightly in appreciation of the soft live music playing in the background. Her eyes fell on the dance floor, where a young couple clung to each other as they slowly moved in time with the music. The woman's eyes were closed, and a blissful smile stretched across her lips. The man had rested his forehead against hers, and he looked equally happy.

Kate Todd felt a pang in her heart, and she smiled wistfully. She wanted that. She really did. It just didn't seem to be what life had in store for her…

"Hey, do I know you? Because I think we went to Ohio State together – "

She whirled around to face the one whose voice had startled her out of her thoughts.

Tony DiNozzo turned pale. "Oh, God, Kate – that was you!"

In spite of herself, she allowed a small triumphant smile to appear on her face. "Tony, were you trying to _hit_ on me?"

"I – " He ran his right hand through his brown hair, mussing it a little. "I thought you were someone else, okay?"

"You are such a bad liar," she said, laughing gleefully. Then, before she could stop herself, she added a little shyly, "You look good tonight."

And he did. She rarely had the opportunity to see him all dressed up, and now that he was standing in front of her she took a good look at him, drinking up the sight of him in a tuxedo, bowtie and all.

"What, just tonight?" And just like that, he was over his earlier embarrassment and back to his usual incorrigible self.

She rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the flip-flopping of her stomach and the quicker beat of her heart as he tossed that charming grin in her way. "Whatever, DiNozzo."

This was nuts. She couldn't fall in love with Tony DiNozzo. It would completely ruin their relationship – whatever that was. 'Friendship' was too optimistic a term for it.

Not to mention that she'd be testing Gibbs's Rule #12: _Romance between agents never works._

Shaking her head slightly, she tried to stop all of her thoughts. "You're bored, aren't you?"

"Are you kidding me? I hate it when Gibbs drags us to these things." He let out a groan. "What is this thing for, anyway?"

She shrugged. "He must've told us, but I can't seem to remember anything. So I take it your usual activity of hooking up with the girls here isn't going too well?"

He scowled and leaned in conspiratorially towards her, lowering his voice as he spoke. "All the chicks here are either taken or extremely – and I do mean _extremely_ – old. I thought I was going to get lucky, but…"

"It turned out to be me. Gee, thanks, Tony," she told him dryly, suppressing the hurt she felt inside.

_See? He doesn't even like you in that way._

Their usual banter continued until she noticed Gibbs giving them the evil eye for not mingling with the other guests.

"I think we better look like we're having fun," she told him, grabbing his hand. "Come on, let's dance."

Much to her surprise, he didn't even hesitate, and he led her to the dance floor. He placed his hand on her bare back – she really _had _to choose tonight, of all nights, to wear that backless gown – and a shiver ran up her spine. Her eyes quickly flicked to his to see if he had noticed, and he only smiled at her as he took her hand in his.

Soft violin music wafted over them, a romantic piece that they slowly began to move to. She couldn't help herself – she moved closer to him and debated whether to lean her head on his shoulder or not. An almost inaudible gasp escaped through her lips and she felt him move even closer – close enough for her head to rest on his shoulder without her moving at all. As she fought the urge to sink deeper into him, she marveled at how perfectly they fit. The fingers on their right hands were now intertwined, and she had never felt safer in anyone else's arms. As they moved together, every step was in sync, and both seemed perfectly aware of where the other was.

"Kate," he said in her ear, tickling it with the warm air from his mouth.

She turned to face him, unsure of what to expect. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized he was leaning in closer, and instinctively she shut her eyes and pressed her lips to his. She pulled him even closer still and increased the pressure, needing him so bad she couldn't believe it herself.

He finally pulled away, breathing hard and staring at her in awe. "Damn, Kate. Why didn't you ever tell me you kissed that good?"

"Tony, we can't," she blurted out before she could stop herself. "Gibbs…he'd kill us. This would never work. We can't have a relationship based on lust – " He shut her up with another mind-blowing kiss, and she moaned into his mouth, loving the feel of his lips on hers.

"Kate, we both know this isn't just lust," he told her after pulling away again.

"But – " He stopped her again with another kiss, and smiled into her mouth as he felt her reciprocate.

"You know what your problem is, Katie?" he said in between kisses. "You think way too damn much."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, smiling as a thought passed through her mind:

She knew she had always loved dancing.


End file.
